Spare wheel carrier and lock



.Oct. 17, Q NEHLS SPARE WHEEL CARRIER AND LOCK Filed Feb. 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 17, c H NEHLS SPARE WHEEL CARRIER AND LOCK Filed Feb. 24 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 17 I v I l J v UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE" SPARE WHEEL CARRIER AND Look Charles H. Nehls, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Oakes Products Corporation, North (Jhicago,

g Ill.,-a corporation of Michigan Application February 24,1931. Serial No. 517,679 11 Claims. (01. 224-29) ,This invention relates .to tire carrier strucdiameter to receive 'the ,flange 14 surrounding tures and particularly to simplified and imthe opening 15 in the inner wall 16 of the inner proved mechanism for retaining a spare wheel member 17 of the wheel hub,-the outer member thereon to guard against theft, the invention 18 of the hub telescoping and being secured to 5' being particularly applicable to wire wheels. the inner member 17, the member 18 extending 60 An important object of the invention is to rearwardly beyond its engagement with the provide a support for receiving the hub of a member 1'7 to form an annular supporting flange j Wheel, together with latch mechanism operating 19 which acts alsoas a dust shield fortheobrak e] automatically to lock the wheel to the support. parts when the wheel is in service on the vehi- 1 and a lock for retaining the latch mechanism in cle. 1

latchingor locking condition after application Spokes 20' extending from the hub member 18 of the wheel to the support. secure the tire rim 21' which inturn supports A further object is to provide latch members a tire 22. In its outer face the hub member has which are spring actuated to yield when the the opening 23 opposite the inner opening '15 15 wheel is applied to the support but which then and this opening 723 is closed by a readily de- 70 are automatically moved into latching position tachable cap or cover 24;. y to retain the wheel on the support, together with Within the supporting head 13 are one or more a manually operable lock for retaining the latch latch'members 25 extending in axial planes and members in latching positiont, pivoted'or secured at their outer ends tojcross 7 26) Another object is to provide latching members,v pins 26 which have bearing support respectively '75 which after release by the lock mechanism, may in' parallel walls 2'7 and 28 formed by deflecting be manually shifted out of latching, position to the sheet metal head 13, the head between each permit removal of the wheel from the support. set of walls having a slot 29'for projection there- Still a further object is to provide a tire lock through of the respective latch member. ,The

25 band secured to the carrier and automatically latch members may be in the form of metal plates 3 locked in closed position around the rim and and each is cut away at its outer end to leave tire of thejwheel when the wheel is applied to a latch shoulder 30" and an abutment shoulder the Support. v 31. Suitably yielding-or spring means S ispro- Still a further object is to adapt the locking vided' for normally yieldinglyholding thelatch 7 3O band to exert outward pressure against the members with their abutmentshoulders 31 against 5 wheel to automatically assist in swinging the the side walls of the head- 13 adjacent to the outer wheel clear of the latchmembers when said latch ends of the slots 29, and in this position the backs members have been shifted out of latching posiof the cams project outwardly a distance through tion. j the slots with the outer ends of the latch shoul-' 35 The above enumerated and other features of ders 30 above the outer ends of the slots. With my invention are incorporated in the structure this arrangement, when the wheel hub is applied disclosed on the drawings, in which drawings to the support 10 with' its opening 14' receiving the.

Figure 1' is a vertical diametral section through head 13, the fiange'14 will engage the backs of a-wheel and its carrier or support, the wheel be-; the latch members and will swing these members ing shown locked to the carrier; 7 v inwardly againstthe pressureoof the spring means Figure 2 is a similar view showing the. wheel until the inner wall 16 of the hub abuts the sup-' applied in the locking band and about to be port 10 and the inner edge of the flange 14 has swung into latching engagement with the carpassed beyond the latch shoulders .30. When this rier or support; and t 7 position is reache'dthe latch members will have 45 Figure 3'is a front view of thewhe'el hub rebeen released and the springmeans-S swingsthem ceiving carrierstructure. V outwardly to position their latch shoulders in The carrier shown comprises a wheel receiving front of the flange 14, thus to lock the wheelhub. and supporting member 10 secured in any suitand wheel to the carrier; To removal the wheel I able manner to the-body 'of. an automobile, as the dust cap 24 can be readily removed-from the- 50 for example by the lower brace or bracket ll'and wheel-hub and then with the fingers'of one hand side braces or brackets 12. The supporting the latch members may bedepressed to release member l0iis shown in the vform of a circular their latch shoulders from'the flange l4, and-:with" disc'having its central. portiondeflected out the other hand the wheel can then'beslid jfar wardly to form a substantially frusto-coni'cal enough outwardly to bring the flange :14 against boss or head. 13. Atits base this head is or a the backs ofthe latch members-whereuponthe wheel may then be readily lifted entirely from the carrier.

Means are preferably provided for locking the latch members in latching position. One way in i which this may be accomplished is by means of the opening 36 in the outer wall of the head 13 and g 1 rigidly secured to the, head. A plate 3'? may be spot welded to the bushing and to the head to thus rigidly secure the bushing in position.

The outer'end of the bushing forms a housing for a lock cylinder 33 whose barrel engages in the slot 39 formed in the head of the pin 33 so that whenthe lock barrel is turned by meansof a suit able key the pin will be rotated.

In the latching arrangement shown, two latch members or pawls are provided and pivoted diametrically opposite in the head 13. Each latch member or pawl has a radially'extending abutment for cooperation with the locking plate or "tive to the spring. To prevent rotation of the 'ment extensions 40 of the 'shown'in Figure 1, so that the-latch members When I 'bers may be swung inwa ure 2. Normally the loc bolt 32; plate or bolt 32 are such that when the plate has itslongitudinal axis in alignment with the'latch members the plate will be in the-path of the abut latch members, as

will be locked in their latching position. the transverse axis of the lock plate or bolt is'in alignment with the latch members theplate will be clear of the abutmenfs and the latch memy as illustrated in Figposition to free the latch members so that when the'whe'el is applied to the head 13 the latch members may be deflected to permit passage of the flange 14 over the head and to then swing outwardly back to latching position in front of the flange. After latching of the wheel head to the supportlil the lock barrel is turned by means ofa key and the locking plate 32 is rotated 90", to

;-the position shown in Figure l, to bring its ends in front of the abutment so of the latch members so that these latch members will be locked in their extended or latching'position.

The spring means -3 hereinbefore referred to. may be in the form of a leaf spring having a hole midway of its ends for receiving the outer end of the pin 33, the spring at its ends engaging against the'latch members at their outer ends'and being bowed to exert pressure against the members, a washer or nut 41 on the'pin 33 holding the spring to the pin but permitting rotation of the pin relaspring with the pin flangesor ears 42 are provided at the spring ends toengage against the sides of the respective latch'members.

The carrier supporting brackets 11 and 12 may be welded'or riveted to the support l0, but preferably bolts 43 are used, thebolts being applied to project their threaded shanks through openings 44 in the support 10 around the head 13, and thin nuts- 45 beingpro'vide'd for the bolts to engage against the front wall of. the support 10, asclearly shown in Figure 2. The holes. 44 are spaced to align with the ho1es46in the rear wall 16 of the wheel hub structure, which holes receive'the bolts for securing the. wheel to the hub on the. vehicle;

The length and width of the locking ng plate is in transverse by the latch means, cap nuts 47 are applied tothe bolts 43 to engage the wheel hub and secure it rigidly to the support 10, and these cap nuts may be the same as'those used for securing the wheel to the vehicle hub. By removing the dust cap 24 from the wheel hub the key controlled lock the nuts 47 are readily accessible through the opening 23, and after the turning of the lock and 1 ZZZlC securing of the nuts the dust cap reapplied to the wheel.

To provide clearance space for the thin nuts 45 the flange 14 is offset a distance outwardly to form a bead or annular ridge 48 for abutting against the support 10 to leave the clearance space 49.

Means in the form of a locking band 50 are also provided for locking the tire againsttheft from the wheel when the wheel is locked to the carrier. The band is of steel and has its inner end apertured to receive the bolt 43 which secures the lower bracket 11 to thesupport 10. 'Theband is U-shaped and depends from the carrier to form a loop to receive the tire and wheel rim at the bottom of the applied wheel. Thev outer leg of the handle bent outwardly at its end vtoform. a hook 51 to be engaged by the edge of the wheel flange or shield 19. Normally, the handle sum-"- ciently open so that thewheel may be. inserted therein in outwardly inclined positionas shown" in Figure 2, and then as the wheel is swung toward the supporting head 13 the'edge of the shield 19 will engage the hook endbl and as the wheel is swung into position on thehead .13 the outer leg of the band .50 is deflected and carried toward the inner leg of the band so that the loop of the band is closed and held closed by the engagement of the hook end'51' with the'shield l9 as indicated'in Figure l.- To strengthen thelocking band against forcible removal of its outer leg 53 formed in the inner leg of the band when the wheel is applied to the support 10, the engagement of this tongue with the'inner leg of the band assisting the hook end 5l in securing the band against opening.

Thus the tire is pro tected from unlawful removal from the wheel rim Owing to the initial set of-the locking band it will tend to open when its outer leg is released from the inner leg, and such opening tension is while thewheel is locked to the carrier. f

sufficient to assist in withdrawing the wheel'from' V the support 10. When it is desired to remove the wheel from the carrier the dust cap 24 of the wheel is first removedand the nuts-4'7 withdrawn andth'e lock turned to releasethelo'clring bolt from thelatch members. Then one hand isextended through the opening 23 and with the fingers the latch members are depressed suihciently to clear the hub flange 14. The'released wheel will be urged outwardly by'the opening force of the band 50 and then can be readily swung away from'the head l3'and' then raised out of V I have shown a practical and e nlicient embodiment of the features of my invention but I donot desire to be limited to the details shownfas changes and modifications may be made in con-' struction and: arrangementjwithout departing head 13 tobe locked to the inf from the scope; and principles ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as follows: I

1. In spare wheel carrier structure, thecombination of a wheel receiving member supported from the frame of an automobile, latch members mounted on said receiving member, and operating means for saidlatch membersyieldably projecting said latch members into the, path of a wheel applied to said receiving member and projecting said latch membersin interlatching engagement with a wheel after application thereo to the receiving member; V v

2 Inspare Wheel carrier structure, the, combination of a spare wheel mounting member supported from the frame of an automobile, latch I pawls on said mounting member, and spring means engaging said latch pawls and tending to hold said pawls in latching position whereby said pawls will yield when the hub of a spare wheel is applied to said mounting member, and will then be returned to latching position to lock the wheel to said member.

3. In spare Wheel supporting structure; the combination of a mounting member supported from the frame of an automobile and havinga head adapted to receive andenter the hub por tion of a spare wheel, radially movable latch members mounted in said head and said head having openings for said latch members, and yielding means engaging said latch members and tending at all times to project them through said openings into latching position, whereby said latch members willyield for the application of a hub portion of a spare wheel to said head and will automatically move into latching position after such application to lock the wheel to the mounting member.

4. In a spare wheel lock'structure, the com bination of a supporting member supported fronr the frame of an automobile, latch members pivotally mounted on said supporting member, andspring means adapted to automatically move said latch members into latching engagement with the hub portion of a spare wheel;

5. Ina spare Wheel carrier structure, the com bination'of a supporting member having a head for receiving the hub portion of a spare wheel,

latch members on said head, spring meansengag" ing said latch members and tending to project them from said head into latching position, and a locking plate adapted to be moved into position to lock said latch members in latching position.

6. In spare wheel carrier structure, the combination of a supporting element having a head for receiving the hub portion of a spare wheel to be carried, latch members mounted. on said head and said head having openings for said latch members, spring means engaging said latch members and tending to project them at all times throughsaid openings and to hold them in latching position whereby said latch members will 7 yield to the application of a hub portion thereto v and will assume latching position aftersuch application, and key controlled locking means'for locking said latch members against retraction.

7 In spare wheel carrier structure, the combination of a supporting member having a substantially frusto-conical' head extending therefrom for receiving and entering the hub portion of a spare wheel to becarried, latch pawls within said head and said head having openings through which said pawls may be projected into latching position, spring means'engaging said pawls and tending to hold them in latching position where by said pawls'will yield to the application ofa hub portion to the head and .will thereafter move and means whereby insertion of the tire and rim of a wheel in said loop and application of the wheel to the supporting member automatically closes and locks said loop around the rim and tire.

9. In carrier structure for automobile spare wheels, the combination of a supporting member having lockingmeans adapted for interlocking engagement withthe hub part of a wheel when applied there'to,a locking loop for the rim and tire of the wheel to be carried, one end of said loop being secured and'sup'ported from the supporting member, said loop beingi normally open to receive the rim and tire of a wheel to be carried, and means automatically controlled bythe application of a wheel to the supporting member said Wheel and the supported end of said loop whereby said loop is locked closed around andtir. ,Y 1 ll 10. In carrier structure for spare wheels of automobiles,'the combination of supporting means ,having locking means for interlocking engagement with the hub of a wheel to be carried, a resilient metal loop supported'at one end from said supporting means and being normally open to receive the tire and'rim of a wheel to be car-' ried, and means for automaticallyinterlocking .the other end of said loop with said wheel by the application of a wheel to the supporting means.

I1. In carrier structure for 1spare wheels of automobiles, the combination of supporting means for receiving and mounting the hub part of a "wheel to be carried, a locking loop for receiving the rim and tire of a wheel to be carried, "one end of said loop being supported from said supporting means, and means automatically controlled by the application of a wheelto the supportingmeans to'interlock the ends of said loop the rim .for interlocking the other end of said loop with to thereby lock the, loop around the rim and tire ofthewheel. q I

cHAaLEsn, NEHLS. 

